Aya M. Productions

Note: I received an eARC copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions and thoughts are my own. I was not paid to write this.

Paper or Plastic by Vivi Barnes was a heartwarming story. Alexis ends up working at SmartMart after being caught shoplifting a tube of lipstick. It ruins her summer plans of softball and hanging with friends. After suffering through Code B’s, she realizes that the people at SmartMart aren’t all what they seem including Noah, the guy she’s supposed to hate.

SmartMart was the store that people loved to joke about, including Alexis. Having to work there definitely didn’t help her social status. It also hindered her standing on her softball team. Working at SmartMart though taught her that not everyone is what they seem. The employees there that people make fun of may seem weird, but they’re people just like everyone else with their own issues. Perhaps her friends weren’t all they were cracked up to be either, holding grudges over things that occurred years ago. As much as she hated working at SmartMart, there’s always something to learn from your experiences.

I also enjoyed the romance lots. Alexis and Noah being together helped their characters grow. Their romance was sweet and had its issues. Watching these two people who are on two different sides of the social ladder, from different backgrounds, and supposed to hate each other, come together was fun. I enjoyed their romance and loved their jokes.

Paper and Plastic also tried to delve into Alexi’s relationship with her mother and a bit into Noah’s relationship with his father. It didn’t hash it out as throughly as it probably could have been, but resolutions were somewhat made. In particular, I think Alexis and her mom still have ways to go before they completely understand each other’s polar opposite personalities.

All in all, I loved Paper and Plastic by Vivi Barnes. It was a easy, entertaining read that I devoured in a few hours. I loved that it tackled the lesson of not “judging people by their cover.” It happens time and time again but is also something difficult to not do. I also loved the romance. The climax was definitely a bit over the top but caused lots of entertainment. I’m excited to see what else Vivi Barnes has in store!